A support fund set up by an East Cambs woman for injured King’s Lynn speedway star Lewis Kerr raised nearly £6,000 in a matter of days.

Kerr, 25, who rides for the King’s Lynn Stars, was competing for his lower-level side, Newcastle, in the Premier League Fours event at Peterborough on Sunday when he was involved in a collision and hit a fence. He is now conscious and making what his wife says is a miraculous recovery.

The Heacham-based racer was airlifted to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, after sustaining severe head injuries in the incident, which was witnessed by his parents and his wife Jessie.

His wife Jessie Kerr wrote on Facebook on Wednesday morning: “Lewi is out of an induced coma and is breathing for himself now and remains in critical care. This is amazing and although it’s early days and we are not out of the woods by any means, it’s a positive.”

“I and my family can’t even begin to explain what the support has meant these last few days. Every message, picture, donation has given us strength during the worst time of our lives, so thank you all from the bottom of my heart.”

The fundraiser account was set up by Caroline Love of Mepal.

She’s a fan of speedway and watches the King’s Lynn Stars, Peterborough and Mildenhall.

She was at the event in Peterborough last Sunday and witnessed the horrific crash.

She said: “It all happened in front of me. It shook me up.

“I thought it would be an idea to raise some money for Lewis, his wife Jessie and his family.

“I know money can’t speed up his recovery but it can take some pressure off them at this very hard time.”

She’s also a Wolves fan and remembered a similar fund being set up after a Watford fan was left in a coma.

She added: “We initially aimed to raise about £2,000, but it’s been crazy since we set it up on Monday.”